NCAVP mourns the death of Celine Walker, 36-year old black transgender woman, of Brandon, FL. Walker was found dead as a result of a gunshot wound at a hotel in Jacksonville, FL on the evening of February 4, 2018. Local media reports misgendered Walker but friends called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s office to correct the error. Investigators are still looking for a suspect(s) at this time.
It’s vital that media and police accurately gender and name people when reporting on LGBTQ homicides to honor their lives and to accurately provide information to the community. Misgendering and/or deadnaming can attribute to the misreporting, or lack of reporting, of deaths of transgender people and hate violence related incidents.
Walker’s friends shared their condolences on social media and describe her as “low-key” and “amazingly talented.” We send our love and care to her family and loved ones.
We know it can be hard to read these reports of violence against our communities. If you need support in these difficult times, you can always reach out to your local NCAVP member. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, you can reach our free bilingual national hotline at 212-714-1141 or report online for support.
NCAVP works to prevent, respond to, and end all forms of violence against and within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and HIV-affected communities. NCAVP is a national coalition of local member programs and affiliate organizations who create systemic and social change. NCAVP is a program of the New York City Anti-Violence Project.